Top 10 Songs that Were Important in the History of Metal Music

christangrant
The songs do not have to be Metal songs though they have to at least have some Historical effect on metal music

The Top Ten

1Hard Lovin' Man - Deep Purple

This song isn't better than Highway Star (1972) but it came out before Highway Star, in 1970, and for this reason I think Hard Lovin' Man was more important. To me Hard Lovin' Man was the first true proto-metal song ever - all basic metal elements were there, including vocals with systematic screams. Highway Star perfected the ideas. - Metal_Treasure

First gallop, fast and furious instrumental, melodic vocals, it was a revolutionary year in Hard Rock, with Immigrant Song, First Sabbath, Layla, but this one seems to me a little bit ahead and more influential to Metal.

2Stargazer - Rainbow

3Highway Star - Deep Purple

Zxm is right - riffs and solos are metal. Vocals are metal, too, including some details like the amazing intro scream - to this day, many metal songs start with impressive intro screams. And the speed of the song - metal music became known for its speed. - Metal_Treasure

The riffs, the solo. - zxm

4Black Sabbath - Black Sabbath

This song has some psych/hard rock style mixed in it. - zxm

5Welcome to Hell - Venom

6A Light in the Black - Rainbow

To me this is the most developed and most technical metal song of the 70s - all its elements are metal. Plus epicness, speed and perfect performance (guitars/solo, vocals, drums). - Metal_Treasure

7Stone Cold Crazy - Queen

8Burn - Deep Purple

9The Exorcist - Possessed

10Phantom of the Opera - Iron Maiden

The best and the most epic metal song on the album that made metal a thing (1980). And Iron Maiden became the most prominent band of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal (commonly abbreviated as NWOBHM).This song clearly demonstrated that Iron Maiden followed Deep Purple's formula for metal - fast classically inspired songs and not Black Sabbath's formula - dark but slow bluesy songs. - Metal_Treasure

The Contenders

11Cowboys From Hell - Pantera

12Raining Blood - Slayer

13Ace Of Spades - Motorhead

14Blitzkrieg Bop - Ramones

This isn't a metal song. But it was influential towards metal songs. - zxm

15Practice What You Preach - Testament

16Master of Puppets - Metallica

One of most iconic heavy metal songs ever created. Recognizable riff, fast rhythm, two melodic solo sections, it has it all.

17Pull the Plug - Death

18Refuse/Resist - Sepultura

19Territory - Sepultura

20Breaking the Law - Judas Priest

21Lights Out - UFO

22Balls to the Wall - Accept

23Misirlou - Dick Dale

I don't know if metal guitarists were inspired by it. But this song is one of the earliest song having rapid alternate picking (tremolo picking/one string picking). Which can be seen often in most metal songs. Plus, Dick Dale was one of the fewest (or only guy) guitarist who could blow up his amp at that high watt. - zxm